1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a portable computer system and more particularly, to a portable computer system termed as laptop or notebook-type computer, which is equipped with a display subsystem movably connected to a computer body and an auxiliary device such as a speaker and a visual indicator.
2. Description of the Prior Art
FIG. 1 schematically shows a conventional, typical portable computer system 100 termed a laptop or notebook-type computer. This computer system 100 is comprised of a rectangular-plate-shaped computer body 110 and a rectangular-plate-shaped display subsystem 120 movably attached to the body 110 through two hinges 160. These two hinges 160 are provided at the rear end of the body 110 to be apart from one another.
The computer body 110 includes a keyboard 111, known disk drives and devices (not shown), a visual information indicator 112, and two speakers 113. The indicator 112, which visually displays specific information such as the ON/OFF state of the computer system 100 and the remaining electric power of a built-in battery (not shown), is located at a narrow, elongated area between the hinges 160. In other words, the indicator 112 is located at the curved inter-hinge part of the body 110. The speakers 113 are provided at an unoccupied area 114 of the body 110 between the keyboard 111 and the front end of the body 110. The speakers 113 are apart from one another. The mouths of the speakers 113 are exposed from the area 114, as shown in FIG. 1.
The display subsystem 120 includes a Liquid Crystal Display (LCD) panel 121 to display necessary information on its rectangular screen according to the instructions from a main subsystem (not shown) of the computer system 100. The display subsystem 120, which serves as a lid of the computer system 100, is able to be pivoted forward and backward around a lateral pivot axis formed by the two hinges 160.
When a human operator uses the conventional computer system 100, the system 100 is usually placed on a desk or table, or the operator""s laps and then, the display subsystem 120 is pivoted backward around the hinges 160, thereby opening the display subsystem 120. Subsequently, the electric power of the system 100 is turned on to thereby start the computer operation. As a result, specific information is displayed on the screen of the LCD panel 121 provided at the display subsystem 120 and simultaneously, specific information is displayed on the indicator 112 provided at the body 110. Also, specific sounds are emitted by the speakers 113 provided at the body 110 as necessary.
With the conventional portable computer system 100 described above, however, there is a problem that not only the degree of freedom in designing the computer system 100 is low but also usability for the operator is not satisfactory.
Specifically, as shown in FIG. 1, the speakers 113 are located in the unoccupied area 114 of the body 110, in other words, the speakers 113 are located near the front end of the body 110. On the other hand, the operator is opposed to the screen of the LCD panel 121 of the display subsystem 120 near the front end of the body 110. Therefore, the speakers 113 will be excessively near to the operator and accordingly, the operator tends to be difficult to catch the sounds emitted from the speakers 113.
Also, due to this location of the speakers 113, the mouths of the speakers 113 tend to be covered with or closed by the operator""s hand or a paper or document prepared by the operator. Thus, the operator tends to be difficult to catch the sounds emitted from the speakers 113 due to this reason.
Additionally, it has been unusual that a speaker is arranged at a narrow area where the operator is difficult to catch the sounds from the speaker, such as the side or rear face of the computer body 110. Therefore, the speaker needs to be very compact.
On the other hand, since the indicator 112 is located at the narrow, elongated area between the hinges 160 in the conventional computer system 100 shown in FIG. 1, the indicator 112 need to be very compact. Thus, not only the location of the indicator 112 but also the geometric shape and size thereof are conspicuously restricted, thereby lowering the degree of freedom in designing the indicator 112.
Moreover, due to the location, shape, and size of the indicator 112, the operator will be difficult to recognize the information visually displayed by the indicator 112.
In recent years, the indicator 112 has been formed by a compact LCD unit capable of displaying various information instead of Light-Emitting Diodes (LEDs). In this case, the characteristic and convenience of the LCD unit are unable to be effectively utilized in the conventional computer system 100.
The Japanese Non-Examined Utility Model Publication No. 5-36523 published in May 1993 discloses a supporting structure for a display unit of a laptop computer. In this structure, the display unit is attached to a computer body by an intermediate supporting member so that the height and angle of the display unit is optionally adjustable with respect to the computer body. The lower end of the supporting member is pivotably connected to the computer body by a first set of hinges, allowing the supporting member to pivot around the axis of the first set of hinges. The upper end of the supporting member is pivotably connected to the display unit by a second set of hinges, allowing the display unit to pivot around the axis of the second set of hinges. The axes of the first and second sets of hinges are typically parallel to one another.
With the conventional supporting structure disclosed in the Japanese Non-Examined Utility-Model Publication No. 5-36523, however, the above-described problem is unable to be solved. This is because this conventional supporting structure is a structure allowing simply the height and angle of the display unit to be adjustable. No reference about speakers and visual indicators is disclosed in this Publication.
Also, in this conventional supporting structure disclosed in the Japanese Non-Examined Utility Model Publication No. 5-36523, when the computer is not used, the angle between the display unit and the intermediate supporting member is set as approximately 180xc2x0 so that the display unit and the intermediate supporting member extend along the upper surface of the computer body. As a result, there arises a problem that the screen of the display unit becomes narrower due to existance of the intermediate supporting member as long as the size of the computer body is not enlarged.
Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a portable computer system that makes it possible to increase the area for an auxiliary device such as a visual indicator and a speaker.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a portable computer system in which the location and attitude of an auxiliary device such as a visual indicator and a speaker are adjustable with respect to a computer body.
The above objects together with others not specifically mentioned will become clear to those skilled in the art from the following description.
A portable computer system according to the present invention is comprised of a computer body having a first pivot axis, and a display subsystem pivotably connected to the body around the first pivot axis. The display subsystem includes first and second units, one of which is provided with an auxiliary device and the other of which is provided with a display device. The second unit is pivotably connected to the body around the first pivot axis and capable of being held at a desired first pivot angle with respect to the body. The first unit is pivotably connected to the second unit around a second pivot axis and capable of being held at a desired second pivot angle with respect to the second unit.
With the portable computer system according to the present invention, the auxiliary device such as a visual indicator and a speaker is provided on one of the first and second units of the display subsystem, rather than on a narrow area of the computer body. Therefore, the dedicated area to the auxiliary device is able to be increased compared with the case where the auxiliary device is provided on the computer body.
Also, the second unit of the display subsystem is pivotable around the first pivot axis of the computer body and at the same time, the first unit of the display subsystem is pivotable around the second pivot axis with respect to the second unit and the computer body. Therefore, the location and attitude of the auxiliary device are adjustable with respect to the computer body.
In a preferred embodiment of the portable computer system according to the present invention, the auxiliary device is provided on the second unit of the display subsystem and the display device is provided on the first unit thereof. The first pivot axis of the computer body is located at or near a rear end of the computer body and extends along the same rear end. The second pivot axis may be parallel or perpendicular to the first pivot axis.
In the case where the second pivot axis is perpendicular to the first pivot axis, there is an additional advantage that the orientation of the display device provided at the first unit of the display subsystem is adjustable along a plane parallel to the first pivot axis, which is independent of the orientation of the auxiliary device provided at the second unit of the display subsystem.
In the case where the second pivot axis is parallel to the first pivot axis, there is an additional advantage that the orientation of the display device provided at the first unit of the display subsystem is adjustable along a plane perpendicular to the first pivot axis, which is independent of the orientation of the auxiliary device provided at the second unit of the display subsystem.
In another preferred embodiment of the portable computer system according to the present invention, a top face of the computer body has an unoccupied area. When the second unit of the display subsystem is opposed to the unoccupied area, the whole second unit is received by the unoccupied area.
In this preferred embodiment, a keyboard needs to be located on the computer body to be apart from the rear end of the computer body, so that the unoccupied area may be arranged between the keyboard and the rear end of the body. There is an additional advantage that only the second unit of the display subsystem can be closed while the display device provided at the first unit of the display subsystem is opposed to the operator.
It still another preferred embodiment of the portable computer system according to the present invention, the auxiliary device is provided on the second unit of the display subsystem and the display device is provided on the first unit thereof. The first pivot axis of the computer body is located at a position shifted forward from a rear end of the computer body and extends along the same rear end. The second pivot axis may be parallel or perpendicular to the first pivot axis.
In this preferred embodiment, there is an additional advantage that the dedicated area for the display device provided on the first unit of the display subsystem is able to be increased to the same size of the computer body in spite of existence of the second unit of the display subsystem.
In a further preferred embodiment of the portable computer system according to the present invention, the auxiliary device is provided on the first unit of the display subsystem and the display device is provided on the second unit of the display subsystem. The first axis of the computer body may be located at or near a rear end of the computer body or at a position location shifted forward therefrom and extends along the same rear end. The second axis may be parallel or perpendicular to the first axis of the computer body.
In this embodiment, there is an additional advantage that if the auxiliary divide provided at the first unit is unused, the first unit is able to be closed by turning the first unit backward around the second pivot axis while the second unit is kept open.